After the Bell:

Leadership Makes the

Difference Education Symposium

Sheraton Four Points Meriden
October 19, 2011
11:00 - 1:30 p.m.

Keynote Speaker

Dr. Paul G. Young was an elementary school principal in Ohio for nearly 20 years before retiring from work in the public schools. He served as the President of the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) and is currently the President and CEO of the National AfterSchool Association (NAA). Dr. Young played a lead role in the development of collaborations between NAESP and (NAA), and the development of the workshop entitled Aligning the Learning Day which has been presented in numerous states for both principal and after school audiences. (Read his full bio here)

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Panel Discussion

In addition to the keynote, the event includes a panel discussion with principals, teachers, funders, and after school program directors from both Milford and New Britain to describe innovative programs happening there.

Panelists include:

Mario L. Cruz, has been in education for more than 20 years, and his experience ranges from working with students with learning dissabilities to adult learners. Mario is principal at Smalley Elementary School in New Britain since 2009. He was also principal at Deerfield Valley Elementary in Vermont for four years. Mario worked with Special Needs children as a Special Education Coordinator and Teacher in Massachusetts and New York. He holds a Masters in Social Work and Bilingual Special Education.

Julie Suedmeyer is a senior manager in Community Investment at United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut in Hartford.  Their mission is to improve lives and change community conditions.  Julie is part of a multi-disciplinary team where she leads strategies to improve community conditions in relation to school readiness and academic success for youth.  Julie also has a geographic concentration in the Windham area where she is responsible for a team of volunteers working to advance the goals of United Way.  Julie holds a master’s degree in Public Policy from the University of Missouri-St. Louis, and a B.S. in Health Management.

Vince Scarpetti has been a principal for the Milford Public School System for the past 8 years. He began at the elementary level working at Pumpkin Delight School and then was moved to West Shore Middle School since 2008. Vince’s teaching experience began in the Bridgeport school system.  He also was instrumental in implementing the Lighthouse after school program during his time there.  Vince not only holds his teaching certification, but also has his 6th year degree in administration, superintendent’s degree from the University of Connecticut, and is in the last stretch of a doctoral program in education at Northeastern University.  Because he witnessed the value of an after school program in Bridgeport, he was motivated to implement a program that would benefit students at his current middle school. The W.A.V.E program is hoping to begin its third year of implementation this year through state funding.

Mary Edo has been a special education teacher in Milford, Connecticut since 1997.  She holds two masters degrees in learning disabilities and in holistic thinking.  She is also the team leader of the special education department at West Shore Middle School. Mary worked collaboratively with Bridges… a community support system to write the grant application for the funding that makes the after school program possible.  The W.A.V.E. program completed two years of successfully servicing our middle school population. Her primary role in the after-school program is to coordinate and facilitate of the W.A.V.E. program.

Wendy E. Gibbons, LCSW, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, is a Prevention Program Supervisor at Bridges…. A Community Support System, Inc.  where she has worked for 12 years.   She received a master’s degree in Social Work from Columbia University and has an undergraduate degree in Psychology from The University of Connecticut.  Wendy works closely with the Board of Education in Milford instituting a variety of Prevention and Programs in the schools such as a number of Mentoring Programs, Natural Helpers, Substance Abuse Education and Peer Mediation. Wendy also conducts an array of Prevention Training Workshops for children and adults in the community and after school programs ranging in conflict resolution skills, substance abuse education, effective parenting classes and successful communication skills. Wendy also provides clinical treatment to Adolescent substance abusing teens.  Lastly,  Wendy is active within the Milford Community and is the President of the Board of Directors of Milford s Promise, attends the Milford Youth Service network,  active Board member on the Boys and Girls Club on Milford, a member of the Milford Prevention Council as well as an American Red Cross Disaster Mental Health Volunteer.

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Principal Matters Award

The day will also include the awarding of the first statewide "My Principal Matters" Oustanding Principal 2011 Award.  For more information, click here.

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Schedule of the Day

10:30 - Registration
11:00 - Welcome/Opening Remarks
11:20 - Keynote Speaker
12:00 - Lunch
12:15 - Panel Session I/II
1:25 - Closing Remarks

The first 100 to register will receive a free copy of Paul Young's book "Principal Matter: 101 Tips for Creating Collaborative Relationships Between After School Programs and School Leaders" --a $20.00 value!

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Along with a committed group of community activists and volunteers serving his last school, West Elementary School, Young played a key leadership role in the development of the West After School Center, Inc., (WASC) a non-profit organization whose mission has evolved (with
close partnership with the school district) into providing after school, summer enrichment and Child and Adult Care Food Program meals for students and families of the Lancaster City Schools and surrounding area. Upon his retirement as a school administrator in 2004, he became the WASC’s Executive Director and helped develop programs in an independent facility constructed to house after school programs for West School. He has been active in the Ohio AfterSchool Association, the Ohio AfterSchool Network, and Ohio’s Advisory Team for 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) programs. He is currently the President and CEO of NAA.

Dr. Young is the author of Principal Matters: 101 Tips for Creating Collaborative Relationships Between Afterschool Programs and School Leaders. He is also a columnist for EducationWorld.com.

Dr. Young holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Music Education, a Master of Music degree, and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph. D.) in Educational Administration from Ohio University, Athens.

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